1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of trouser construction, in particular to a slacks construction for women, wherein a fabric layer below the waistband is fuller than the waistband, for example having vertical pleats or gathers, and elastic panels are provided in the inner structure to pull the fuller areas circumferentially relative to the wearer, thereby flattening the pleats and/or circumferentially compressing the fuller area and providing a slimmer appearance.
2. Prior Art
Elastic panels have been included in clothing construction for the purpose of providing a girdle-like restraining support for the user's body, e.g., the abdomen. U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,926--Bacon et al, for example, discloses an abdomen compressing trouser structure having an inner belt mounted via elastic bands extending laterally from the front fastener around the sides of the trousers, captive between inner and outer layers of the waistband, to restrain protrusion of the abdomen using a structure located behind the outer layers of fabric. A restraining structure of this type is useful for supporting purposes and presumably will make a person appear slimmer, but is not comfortable due to its constriction of the wearer's abdomen.
Another example of a garment incorporating girdle-like elastic structures is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,589--Cohen et al, as applied to swim trunks. An inner panty is defined by an abdomen restraining strap of elastic, integral with an elastic seat. The swim trunks hang loosely over the panty, suspended from the waistband. A similar inner panty restraint is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,531--Grishman.
In garments which are intended to be comfortable rather than restraining, the fabric of the garment is intended to fit more loosely on the wearer. Trousers, for example, often include pleats defined by vertically elongated folds extending from a point, or between points, at which the pleats are folded and fixed. Remote from the point of attachment of the folds, the pleats can unfold to allow the fabric to expand freely in a direction perpendicular to the elongation or fold of the pleats, normally, horizontally. In a trouser construction, vertically aligned pleats are formed by folds in the fabric extending downwardly from a waistband, allowing the lower fabric to expand circumferentially remote from the waistband. Generally, the pleats taper from the folded part of the pleats, sewn to the waistband, to blend continuously into the fabric of the lower abdomen and leg area. This allows the trousers to expand over the wearer's lower abdomen, hips and the like, to comfortably accommodate a range of fit.
Pleated arrangements are comfortable and allow for circumferential expansion of the fabric. However, for the sake of a neat appearance the pleated garment structure is preferably dimensioned such that the pleats are not pulled into their expanded state when fitted properly. When the vertical pleats expand, the folds of the pleats tend to become more apparent, and extend farther outwardly from the surface of the garment than when folded flat.
An expansible structure similar to pleats is formed when the fabric along the abdomen is gathered rather than pleated, for example where elastic is included to compress the waistband and thereby wrinkle the fabric of the waistband as well as the abdomen area extending downwardly from the waistband. When pleats or gathers are expanded, the garment appears to be overly tight, and/or the wearer appears to have put on weight. Therefore, even though pleats and/or gathers are desirable for comfort, it is undesirable to rely on them for proper fit.
According to the invention a trouser construction includes a supplemental elastic panel disposed inside the trousers behind the pleats or gathers. The elastic is too light in weight to appreciably restrain the wearer's abdomen. However, the elastic tends to maintain the pleats or gathers in a preferentially compressed condition. A slimmer appearance is provided by the elastic because the capacity for circumferential expansion of the trousers, apart from the pleats or gathers, is used up before the pleats or gathers can expand. The garment is smoothed around the rear and the pleats or the like tend to remain flat. The wearer thus appears slimmer than in a trouser construction having pleats or gathers which can expand without limitation.